Surgical suction irrigator

ABSTRACT

A surgical irrigator for wounds which delivers a flushing solution to a wound, the irrigator includes first and second elongated concentric tubes, the first outer tube being connected to a solution supply and the second inner tube being connected to a solution suction, said tubes having substantially conjunctive terminating open ends, said outer tube having an orifice configuration with a plurality of apertures arranged around a central orifice of the inner tube, the outer tube being telescopically moveable relative to the inner tube.

United States Patent [1 1 1 3,929,126

Corsaut Dec. 30, 1975 SURGICAL SUCTION IRRIGATOR Primary ExaminerRichardA. Gaudet Assistant ExaminerJ. Yasko [76] Inventor. glif gggz ggg gggiSouth Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Theodore J. Bielen, Jr.;

Richard Esty Peterson [22] Filed: Sept. 26, 1974 [21] App]. No.: 509,484

I [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 128/240; 128/349 R A Surgical irrigatol'for Wounds which delivers a flush 51 Int. cl. A61M 3 00 g Solution to aWound, the irrigator includes first and [58] Field f S h 128/240 241 24524 second elongated concentric tubes, the first outer tube 128/349 350344 343 27 32 33 being connected to a solution supply and the secondinner tube being connected to a solution suction, said [56] Rgf i-n Citd tubes having substantially conjunctive terminating UNITED STATESPATENTS open ends, said outer tube having an orifice configura-3,144,868 8/l964 Jascalevich 128/349 B a pluramy of apertures arrangedaround a central orifice of the inner tube, the outer tube being 7/bramson 128/ l X telescopically moveable relative to the mner tube.

OTHER PUBLICATIONS AM. Cystoscope Makers Inc., 1961 Catalogue, Fig.2339, p. 15. 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures US. Patent Dec. 30, 1975SURGICAL SUCTION IRRIGATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates to a surgical device for cleansing wounds, particularly a devicefor flushing wounds with a liquid solution. In the past, wounds havecustomarily been flushed with solutions delivered from an asepticsyringe that directs a stream of liquid solution at a wound to cleansethe wound and dislodge any foreign matter in the wound. However, inusing such devices, it is difflcult to prevent the reflected solutionfrom splashing the operator and adjacent equipment. Surgical drapessurrounding the area of the wound frequently become soiled by theflushing solution spilling from the wound. Further, the irrigationprocess by syringe requires pouring a bottle of irrigating fluid into abasin, repeated filling of an aseptic syringe by a nurse for theoperating surgeon, and concurrent handling of a suction device by anassistant surgeon to remove the irrigation fluid. During such acumbersome operation, spilling and splashing of flushing solution isinevitable. Because. such wounds may harbor infectious bacteria, thepossibility of contaminating splashed objects is a hazard that makesconventional devices unsatisfactory as well as inconvenient. The lack ofcontrol of the flushing solution requires repeated changing of drapesand surgical gowns.

The invented surgical suction irrigator delivers a smooth stream offluid and concurrently evacuates the delivered fluid. This devicesubstantially reduces splashing and thereby reduces the possibility ofcontamination. Further, use of the invented device reduces the number ofitems of irrigating equipment that are required for the irrigationoperation thus reducing the risk of contamination. Also, the inventeddevice reduces the number of items that must be sterilized after theirrigation process is completed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The surgical irrigator of this inventiondelivers a flushing solution to a wound and concurrently evacuates thesolution to reduce splashing and contamination. The irrigator operateswith any variety of fluids such as plain water, saline solutions or anyvariety of medicinal or antiseptic solutions. The irrigator ispreferably constructed of metal to facilitate sterilization. However,the irrigator may be constructed of a glass, plastic or other materialthat can be easily cleaned and sterilized.

The irrigator is formed with a first supply conduit having an open endthat effects a stream of fluid such as an external purgative salinesolution which may be directed at a wound such as a laceration. A secondsuction conduit has an open end adjacent to the open end of the firstconduit. The second conduit is attached to a suction means tocontinuously absorb by suction the ejected solution delivered from thefirst conduit.

In the preferred embodiment, a suction conduit having a circular crosssection is arranged concentrically within a supply conduit having acircular cross section of diameter substantially larger than thediameter of the suction conduit. The open ends of each conduit terminatesubstantially at the same point for effective evacuation of deliveredliquid.

In the preferred embodiment, the relative position of the open end ofthe suction conduit is telescopically adjustable to the position of thesupply conduit to vary the relative rate of suction effect to the flowfrom the supply conduit.

The end of the outer supply conduit is formed with a plurality ofsummetrically arranged apertures to produce a plurality of convergingstreams of liquid for effective flushing of wounds and for removal ofany foreign particles from the wound. The surgical suction irrigator isdesigned to the size of a large pencil for convenient and accuratemanipulation. These and other features are shown in the drawings anddescribed in greater detail in the Detailed Description of the PreferredEmbodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of thesuction irrigator with connecting hoses attached.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the two primary members of the suctionirrigator separated.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a portion of thesuction irrigator of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged bottom view of the end of the irrigator of FIG.1'.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the end of the irrigatorof FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the end of the irrigatorof FIG. 1 with the two primary members in an adjusted relative position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1 thepreferred embodiment of the surgical suction irrigator designated by thereference numeral 10 is shown connected to two flexible hoses 12 and 14to illustrate the manner of connecting the irrigator to collateralequipment when the irrigator is in use. The irrigator 10 is constructedwith two primary members, a supply conduit 16 and a suction conduit 18.The two members are shown detached in the exploded view of FIG. 2 toillustrate with greater clarity the configuration of the two conduits l6and 18.

The outer supply conduit 16 is formed by a hollow tube 20 of circularcross section having a connected tubular branch arm 22 near a top end 23of the tube 20 which provides a continuous passage from a flared end 24of branch arm 22 to discharge end 26 of the hollow tube.

The inner suction conduit 18 is formed by an elongated hollow tube 28with a circular cross section of outside diameter that is smaller thanthe inside diameter of the hollow tube 20 of the supply conduit 16. Thetop of the inner tube 28 of the suction conduit 18 has a flared end 34.The flared end 34 of the inner tube 28 and the flared end 24 of thetubular branch arm 22 of the outer tube 20 provide slip resistantconnectors for the two flexible hoses 12 and 14 as shown in FIG. 1. Theopposite end 30 of the inner tube 28 terminates with a circular opening31, shown in the end view of FIG. 4, discussed in greater detailhereafter.

On the outer surface of the inner tube is an enlargement 32 of diameterequal to the inside diameter of the hollow tube 20 of the supply conduit16. The enlargement 32 provides a packing to seal the top end 23 of thehollow tube 20 when the inner suction conduit 18 is inserted within theouter supply conduit 16 as shown in FIG. 1. A detail of this connectionis shown in FIG. 3. The packing enlargement 32 not only seals the topend 23 of the outer hollow tube 20, but it centers the inner tube 28concentrically within the outer tube 20. The

3 enlargement 32 is capped with an annular flange 35 which restricts thedistance that the inner tube 28 can be inserted into the outer tube.

When fully inserted such that the annular flange 35 is seated on the topend 23 of the outer tube 20, the end 30 of the inner tube 28 terminatesa short distance below the end 26 of the outer tube as shown in FIGS. 1and 5. By carefully withdrawing the inner tube 28, the end 30 can beretracted to the position shown in FIG. 6 where the end 30 of the innertube is conjunctive with the end 26 of the outer tube. The function ofthis adjustment is described in the description of the operation of thesurgical suction irrigator hereafter.

The end 26 of the outer tube 20 has a scalloped edge that is inwardlypinned against the outer surface of the inner tube to form a pluralityof summetrically spaced apertures 36 around the end 30 of the inner tubeas shown in FIG. 4. This arrangement both centers the end 30 of theinner tube 28 concentrically within the end 26 of the outer tube 20 andprovides for a plurality of soft and smooth converging streams of fluidto be emitted during operation of the irrigator.

OPERATION The tubular branch arm 22 of the outer tube 20 is connected toa flexible hose leading from a liquid source such as a saline solutionin an elevated [.V. bottle (not shown). The elevated I.V. bottle gravityfeeds a continuous flow of fluid down the supply conduit asschematically illustrated by the downwardly directed arrows in theenlarged sectional view of FIG. 3. The rate of flow can be controlled bythe elevation of the bottle or a conventional hose clamp (not shown).The saline solution is emitted in multiple converging streams from themultiple apertures 36 at the end 26 of the outer tube 20. In this mannerthe wound is irrigated and flushed of any foreign matter.

I The inner tube 28 is connected to a flexible hose leading from asuction source such as a small vacuum pump (not shown). The vacuum pumpevacuates the flushing solution concurrently with the delivery of thesolution from the supply conduit 16. By selective adjustment of thedistal ends of the two tubes, the effective rate of evacutation by theinner suction conduit can be controlled. For example, when the end 30 ofthe inner tube 28 projects beyond the end 26 of the outer tube 20 asshown in FIG. 5, the suction is at maximum effectiveness and evacuatessolution at a greater rate than the rate of supply through the supplyconduit 16. When the end 30 of the inner tube 28 is conjunctive with theend 26 of the outer tube 20 the effectiveness of the suction conduit 18is reduced, and the supply tube delivers solution at a rate generallygreater than can be evacuated by the suction conduit 18. This preferredoperation level can be achieved by proper initial coordination of thesupply rate from the supply source and the vacuum level of the vacuumsource.

While in the foregoing specification an embodiment of the invention hasbeen set forth in considerable detail for the purposes of making acomplete disclosure thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in theart that numerous changes may be made in such details without departingfrom the spirit and principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A medical irrigator for flushing wounds with a liquid comprising:

a. a first conduit having a first terminal open end and a second endhaving means for connecting said second end to a liquid supply means fordelivering liquid to said first conduit;

b. a second conduit having a first terminal open end and a second endhaving means for connecting said second end to a liquid suction meansfor removing liquid from said conduit, said second conduit positionedwithin said first conduit and displaced from said first conduit, whereinsaid terminal end of said first conduit has a scalloped edge that isinwardly pinned against the outer surface of said second conduit forminga plurality of apertures therebetween.

2. The irrigator of claim 1 wherein said first conduit is tubular andsaid second conduit is tubular and is positioned concentrically withinand displaced from said first conduit.

3. The irrigator of claim 2 wherein said means for connecting saidsecond end of said first conduit comprises a tubular connecting brancharm with a flared end, and said means for connecting said second end ofsaid second conduit comprise flared tubular end, said flared tubularends being adapted to connect to flexible hoses.

4. The irrigator of claim 3 whereas said terminal open end of said flrstconduit is telescopically adjustable with said terminal open end of saidsecond conduit.

5. The irrigator of claim 4 wherein said terminal open end of said firstconduit includes a plurality of apertures arranged symmetrically aroundthe first conduit.

1. A medical irrigator for flushing wounds with a liquid comprising: a.a first conduit having a first terminal open end and a second end havingmeans for connecting said second end to a liquid supply means fordelivering liquid to said first conduit; b. a second conduit having afirst terminal open end and a second end having means for connectingsaid second end to a liquid suction means for removing liquid from saidconduit, said second conduit positioned within said first conduit anddisplaced from said first conduit, wherein said terminal end of saidfirst conduit has a scalloped edge that is inwardly pinned against theouter surface of said second conduit forming a plurality of aperturestherebetween.
 2. The irrigator of claim 1 wherein said first conduit istubular and said second conduit is tubular and is positionedconcentrically within and displaced from said first conduit.
 3. Theirrigator of claim 2 wherein said means for connecting said second endof saiD first conduit comprises a tubular connecting branch arm with aflared end, and said means for connecting said second end of said secondconduit comprise flared tubular end, said flared tubular ends beingadapted to connect to flexible hoses.
 4. The irrigator of claim 3whereas said terminal open end of said first conduit is telescopicallyadjustable with said terminal open end of said second conduit.
 5. Theirrigator of claim 4 wherein said terminal open end of said firstconduit includes a plurality of apertures arranged symmetrically aroundthe first conduit.